Neil Thomson recruits a new tractorman
After nearly 29 years of loyal service as our tractorman, Geoff Portsmouth has retired from full-time duties. It seems like only a few weeks ago when he mentioned teasingly that he only had another 12 more months of his sentence to complete.
We will miss him, as he has been a tremendous colleague, who has been able to turn his hand to almost anything. We wish him well in his retirement, but can I remind him that he said he is more than happy to lend a hand when required, so can you be back a week on Monday, 39 hours a week for the foreseeable future? I think I know what his answer will be!
I was in for another shock when David, the man we had lined up to fill Geoff’s shoes, handed his notice in after only 15 months here. He has been offered an excellent opportunity that is closer to his family. I wish him and his wife all the very best, his new employer is a lucky man to have secured his services.
However, all is not lost, we have found someone to join us in the new year. I was delighted by the response I had to the advert placed locally and I must thank all those who applied, the decision we made was not easy, as there are some outstanding people in our industry out there.
Appointing our new man has been a very interesting and revealing process to me; the successful applicant took some time in making his decision because he had heard on the grapevine that I was a total b…d! I was a bit miffed until I discovered that the person who had told him this failed to pay us for some work we had done for him more than 20 years ago. Maybe that person should take a look at themselves before calling me something unsavoury.
Neil Thomson farms 607ha in partnership with his father and brother from Caverton Mill, Kelso, on the Scottish Borders, growing combinable crops and brassicas. Some of the mainly medium loam is let for potatoes, and the QMS Monitor Farm also has cattle and sheep.
Staying sharp shouldn't be a chore
